


Like a Moth to a Flame

by SunriseRose1023



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Enemies to Friends, High School, Learning Disabilities, M/M, Smoking, Students, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-01 22:02:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12713814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunriseRose1023/pseuds/SunriseRose1023
Summary: Jared Padalecki’s going places. Jensen Ackles is definitely not. What happens when the boys get paired together for a major project worth almost half their grade? With Jensen refusing to do a thing and Jared desperate to do well, one of two things can happen. Their opposing personalities can clash in a serious way, or they may can discover things about themselves—and each other—they never saw coming.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bluefire986](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluefire986/gifts).



> Here's my entry for the 2017 J2 Reversebang! I got paired (again) with the INCREDIBLE bluefire986, and I had such a fun time with this prompt. I hope you enjoy the story. You can find the art in chapter 2. ;) But if you don't want to wait, check it out here: 
> 
> https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/bluefire986/20560144/63632/63632_600.png

_“Are you ready?”_

_Jared sighed as he shook his head. His mother smiled to herself as she flipped on the turn signal, glancing towards the passenger’s seat, where her son was staring out the window. She sighed, then spoke again._

_“I know it’s rough, starting a new school like this. But I promise, you’re going to get to graduate from this one.”_

_Jared rolled his eyes._

_“I’m in sixth grade, Mom. I won’t graduate for forever.”_

_She laughed._

_“Oh, my sweet boy. Time will fly faster than you think. Trust me on that.”_

_She reached over, ruffling his hair._

_“I mean, just yesterday I had a chubby little baby, and now look at you.”  
“Mom, don’t mess up my hair!”_

_She laughed again as Jared’s hands came up, trying to fix his hair._

_“I’m sorry, honey. You look great.”_

_Jared sighed as the car pulled to a stop in front of a wide brick building. He swallowed, reaching down to the floorboard, picking up his new backpack._

_“Do you want me to come with you?”_

Yes _, Jared thought._ Better yet, why don’t we just go back home? _But instead of saying those words, he shook his head._

_“No, I—I can do it. I can find my way.”  
“If you need anything, the high school isn’t too far away.”_

_Jared nodded. He knew his mom would be teaching at the high school, which wasn’t on the same campus as his middle school, but still considered the same school. He straightened his shoulders, letting out another breath. He licked his lips, opening the car door and stepping out. He adjusted the backpack on his shoulders, then glanced back, to where his mom had rolled down the passenger side window. He smiled at her, then waved._

_“Bye, Mom.”  
“See you at 3:15.”_

_She waved back, not blowing a kiss because Jared was much too old for his mom to do that now. He swallowed again, readjusting the backpack, walking to the door. He reached out for the handle, but his hand fell at the roaring sound behind him. He turned to see a motorcycle pull up, and he blinked as he watched a boy about his age climb off the back. He took off a helmet and shook his head, placing the helmet on the back of the motorcycle before walking up the sidewalk. The motorcycle engine revved as it drove away, and Jared stared wide-eyed at the boy walking towards him. The boy, green eyes narrowed, sneered at Jared._

_“What the hell are you looking at? Get out of my way.”_

_Jared instinctively stepped aside, and the boy yanked the door open, not even bothering to hold it open for Jared. Jared blinked, just standing there frozen, staring at the door._

_“Don’t worry about him.”_

_Jared turned around, eyes wide, to see a girl his age with flaming red hair making her way up the walk, stopping beside him and turning back to wave at an old station wagon. When the car drove away, she looked at him and shrugged her shoulders._

_“He’s mean to everyone, not just the new kids.”_

_Jared slowly nodded, and the girl held out her hand._

_“I’m Felicia.”_  
_“Jared Padalecki.”_  
 _“Well, that’s a mouthful. What grade are you in?”_  
 _“Sixth.”_

_Felicia smiled._

_“Same as me! Come on. I’ll show you around. We’ll have to go in the office first and get your schedule and your locker combo. It’ll be something easy, like ABC 123, so you’ll have to change it. But I can help you with it; don’t worry.”_

_Jared swallowed, pushing a smile on his face as he nodded his head, following her through the door. Felicia kept on talking as they walked towards the office, and right outside the door, Jared took her arm._

_“The boy on the motorcycle, the one that walked in before you and me?”_

_Felicia nodded._

_“What’s his name?”_

_She rolled her eyes._

_“Jensen. Jensen Ackles. But don’t bother trying to be his friend. He’s …”_

_She glanced over her shoulders, then over Jared’s, leaning in close, so he could hear her whisper._

_“He’s a dick.”_

_Her cheeks immediately flushed after she said the words, and Jared nodded. Felicia shrugged her shoulders again._

_“Really, he’s not friends with anybody around here. Well, he’s sort of friends with Misha, but that’s because Misha won’t take no for an answer. He’s friends with everybody.”_

_Felicia continued chattering as she walked into the office, and Jared bit his lip as he glanced around. He followed Felicia after a second, standing back as she spoke to the ladies behind the desk, wondering why exactly his mind couldn’t shake the image of Jensen Ackles._


	2. Chapter 2

 

Samantha Ferris crossed her arms over her chest as her entire senior civics class gave a collective groan. That was usually the response she received when she announced her partner assignment, and after twenty-someodd years as a teacher, she was used to it. She held up both hands and the class quieted.

“Okay, I don’t even want to hear it. Whoever I assign you with, that’s who you’re stuck with. Each partner will pull his or her own weight, and if you don’t, I will hunt you down. Not really, but you know how I can be.”

Samantha stared out over the eighteen seniors in her class, putting partners together in her mind. Sure, she’ll make the kids think it was random, but she held complete control in her classroom. She walked to her desk and picked up her gradebook, watching the kids sit up straighter in their seats.

 “Alright, let’s start from the top. Jensen Ackles, I’m pairing you with …”

Everyone in the class seemed to take in a breath and hold it, watching as Samantha closed her eyes, pointing a finger at the book. She opened her eyes and smiled.

“Jared Padalecki.”

Straight-A, on the fast track to being valedictorian, Jared Padalecki. Son of the beloved Ms. Samantha Smith, everyone’s favorite English teacher. Samantha tried not to smile when the murmurs began to swirl in the room, apologies being whispered to Jared.

Samantha watched as Jared glanced towards the front left corner of the room, where Jensen Ackles sat hunched over his desk, pencil moving as he drew in his notebook while ignoring everyone around him.

Samantha nodded as she glanced back down at the gradebook, confident in her first pairing, ready to move on through the rest of the class.

“Okay, Aaron Baker, let’s pair you up with …”

* * *

“Psst. Jared.”

Jared turned his head towards the right, where Alona Tal sat beside him on the back row, since Ms. Ferris made them sit in alphabetical order. Alona made a face as she leaned over, whispering softly.

“Sorry you got stuck with Ackles.”   
“Not as sorry as I am. I’m going to do all the damn work and he’s just going to coast by. I don’t care what she says. She always lets him skate and it sucks.”

Jared huffed out a breath, looking towards the front left corner of the room, where Jensen sat, hunched over a notebook. Jared glared his direction, then rolled his eyes. He sat up straighter in his chair when Ms. Ferris began to speak again.

“Okay, you all know who your partners are. Go sit by them and make a tentative plan. Don’t get too loud, alright?”

Students stood and paired off, some sitting in their desks, some moving to stand. Jared sighed, grabbing a notebook and walking to the front left of the room. Jensen continued to draw or whatever it was he always did, and Jared rolled his eyes before he grabbed a chair and pulled it close to Jensen’s desk.

“Hey, we got paired up for this partner thing.”

Jensen nodded, but didn’t look up from his notebook. Jared blinked, then licked his lips.

“Well, is there something you want to focus on? Something you want to write your report on?”

Jensen didn’t answer, not out loud or through any gesture or anything. Jared bit the inside of his cheek, then spoke again.

“Well, I was thinking about focusing on, like, women’s rights, maybe. Or that bathroom debacle. The transgender thing, you know?”

He wasn’t being serious; he was looking for a response. When Jensen didn’t acknowledge him, Jared huffed out a breath.

“Look, we’ve got to work together here. I’ve got to get a good grade in this class. I’m going to Stanford or Yale, and I’ve got to have perfect grades to get in. I’m going to do my part, but I’m not going to pull your weight, too.”   
“Then I guess we won’t be getting that perfect grade, will we, college boy?”

Jared’s eyes widened when Jensen spoke, looking up at him with scornful green eyes. Jared’s mouth fell open, and he started to speak, but couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Jensen snorted, shaking his head as he bent over his notebook again. Jared sat back in the chair, staring at Jensen.

He’d had … an infatuation with Jensen Ackles since the first time he’d met him. And Jensen had been nothing but rude and condescending to Jared for the past six years. He didn’t have many—if any—friends, and that didn’t seem to bother him. Jared was more or less popular, with a handful of close friends and a school of acquaintances.

No one had ever impacted him the way Jensen had, though.

Jensen was everything Jared wasn’t. He was tough and cocky, quietly rebellious. His hair was a different color every week. He rode a motorcycle to school, smoked out in the parking lot, always wore a leather jacket, and had more than one tattoo.

Jared still rode to school with his mom. He was letting his hair grow a little longer this year, but his mom would have a stroke if he came home with a tattoo. He got good grades—excellent ones, in fact, and was determined to be valedictorian at graduation.

Polar opposites, that was Jared and Jensen.

There was no possible way this project was going to work. Not unless one of them gave in, and that didn’t seem to be an option.

As the bell rang, Jensen closed his notebook, slipping his pencil into the pocket of his leather jacket. He stood up and walked around Jared, leaving the room without a look back. Jared sighed, putting his chair back in place, gathering up his books and notebook.

“Hey, Jared?”

Jared stopped at the head of his row, glancing over at Ms. Ferris, who walked around her desk to prop a hip on it, crossing her arms over her chest. She smiled at him, and Jared relaxed a bit.

“Yes ma’am?”  
“I just want to let you know that Jensen’s going to give you some trouble, but I don’t think it’ll be anything you won’t be able to handle.”  
“He just basically told me he’s not going to do anything on this project.”

Ms. Ferris nodded, pursing her lips.

“Sounds like him.”  
“I just need a good grade on this.”  
“Grades aren’t everything, honey.”

Jared made a face.

“Should you really be telling me that?”

Ms. Ferris laughed.

“Not what you expected to hear a teacher say, huh?”

Jared shook his head, and she stood up. She laid a hand on his shoulder, smiling as she spoke.

“Do your best. That’s all I can ask. _Try_ to get him to work with you. Don’t give up on him. And if you absolutely can’t get through, just let me know. But give it all you got, okay?”

Jared nodded, and Ms. Ferris winked at him.

“Go on.”

Jared walked out of the room, eyebrows furrowing when he reached the hallway. He shook his head, making his way to his locker, opening the door and transferring his books inside.

“So a little birdie told me you’re stuck with Jensen Ackles for the big Civics project.”

Jared snorted.

“Good news travels fast.”

He glanced down to see Felicia Day, his very best friend in the entire world leaning against the lockers, twirling a strand of fiery red hair around her finger.

“Have you made a plan yet?”  
“No. I tried to talk to him and he basically told me he’s not going to do anything. So I’m going to fail Civics, which means no Ivy League, which means I’ll be stuck in Devil’s Asscrack, Texas, until I rot.”

Felicia nodded.

“Sounds like you lost your dramatic flair.”

Jared gently pushed her shoulder and she laughed.

“One class isn’t going to kill you. And Ms. Ferris is good. She won’t let you fail just because Jensen’s a dick who won’t just go ahead and drop out.”

Jared let out a sigh at that, and Felicia raised an eyebrow.

“Did I strike a nerve?”

Jared shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know, I just … kind of feel sorry for him.”  
“Why?”  
“I don’t know. I mean, there’s got to be a reason he’s so angry, right? Some reason he’s not friends with anyone?”  
“Who are you, Mother Theresa? Some people are just assholes for the sake of being an asshole. Jensen’s just a jerk.”

Jared sighed, and Felicia rolled her eyes.

“I know you want to see the good in everyone, but I just don’t think there is any. Maybe it washed out with all the hair dye he goes through.”

Jared laughed, looping an arm around Felicia’s shoulders as they walked towards their next class.

* * *

Jared stood in the parking lot, backpack over his shoulders, kicking at rocks. He was near Jensen’s motorcycle, only to sort of ambush him. Jensen usually waited until the crowd had cleared before he left, so Jared was all but alone in the parking lot. He’d already cleared it with his mom, so she knew what he was doing.

He glanced up from his latest rock kick and saw Jensen walking out of the building. He watched the exact moment Jensen saw him, saw the slump of his shoulders before he straightened and shook his head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, tapping one out as he made his way to his motorcycle. He put it in his mouth and cupped his hands around it, lighting it and leaving it in his mouth as he spoke.

“You’re going to be a real pain in my ass, aren’t you, Padalecki?”

Jared smiled.

“That’s up to you.”

Jensen shook his head, taking his cigarette between two fingers and moving it from his mouth, blowing out a trail of smoke.

“Why are you so worried about this?”

Jared blinked, caught in a bit of a trance watching Jensen. He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

“I told you. I’ve got to have good grades to go to college.”  
“Right, because the community college is too good for you?”   
“Because I want the best for myself.”

Jensen snorted and rolled his eyes, putting his cigarette back in his mouth and taking a drag.

“Look, I’m going to shoot straight with you here. I don’t want to do shit with this project. So I’m not going to. I’m not going to waste my time on shit I don’t want to do. You can knock yourself out, but I know Ferris will give me a passing grade and that’s good enough for me.”

Jared shook his head.

“That’s not fair.” “Life’s not fair, kid.”   
“No kidding. But sometimes you’ve got to do stuff you don’t want to do.”  
“Like partner up with me?”

Jared held up his hands.

“You said it, not me.”

Jensen rolled his eyes, blowing out another stream of smoke.

“I’m not worried. And if you’d unclench for a second, you just might relax enough to not worry, either. School ain’t everything, Padalecki.”  
“It’s everything right now. We don’t have jobs or kids or whatever. And please, forgive me for wanting to do good on something. We can’t all slack to the best of our abilities and get away with it like you.”

Jensen’s eyebrows raised just the slightest.

“Wow. Tell me how you really feel.”  
“Trust me, you don’t want that.”

Jensen rolled his eyes, and Jared sighed.

“Look, just … will you just give it a try? You can come to my house and we can work on it together.”  
“What part of ‘ _I don’t give a shit about this’_ don’t you get?”

Jared nodded, stepping back and holding up his hands, an angry smile on his face.

“You know, I don’t know why I even bothered trying to talk to you. Thanks for ruining my life, though. I really appreciate it.”

Jensen sighed, but Jared stormed away before he heard it. He went to his mom’s car and threw open the door, throwing his bag in the back and sitting in the front seat, anger coloring his features. Jensen tossed the cigarette to the ground, crushing it under the heel of his boot before climbing on his motorcycle and driving away.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Jared set his backpack down on the dining room table, collapsing into one of the chairs, putting his arms on the table and resting his head on his arms. His mom laughed as she walked in the door behind him with grocery bags in both of her hands, going through the dining room to the kitchen to start dinner.

“I wish you’d relax, honey.”  
“I’m going to fail. Fail, Mom. I’ve never failed anything!”   
“Do you really think Ms. Ferris will fail you?”

Jared sighed.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. But, I mean, we’re supposed to work together. And Jensen refuses to work with me. He’s refusing to work at all.”

Samantha nodded her head, setting the bags on the counter and beginning to unload the groceries, smiling when Jared walked into the kitchen, unpacking one of the bags and putting the items in their correct places.

“I just … She told me that grades aren’t everything, Mom. What kind of a teacher says that?”   
“The good ones.”

Jared looked up, seeing his mom filling a pot with water, setting the pot on the stove. Jared turned back and Samantha smiled at him, shrugging her shoulders.

“The best teachers are the ones who teach you lessons you can’t find in a textbook. Maybe—I’m not positive, but just maybe—she’s trying to teach you something other than … what class is it?”  
“Civics.”  
“Ew, civics.”

Samantha made a face, and Jared laughed.

“Exactly.”

Samantha sprinkled some salt into the pot of water, then walked to Jared, gently ruffling his hair.

“You know I am going to do everything in my power to get you into your dream school, wherever that may be, right?”

Jared nodded, and Samantha cupped his face between her hands.

“My baby, I promise you, one bad grade is not going to sink your ship, okay?”

Jared nodded, and Samantha leaned in, kissing his cheek.

“Go wash up and help me with dinner.”

* * *

Jared tapped his pencil against his notebook, then stuck it in his mouth as he flipped pages in the book that was sitting before him. He found a passage in the book that he thought he might could use, and took the pen out of his mouth to write it down. He held a finger on the paragraph as he began to write, flicking his eyes up when the chair across from him was pulled out. He did a double take when he realized the person across from him was not Felicia like he was expecting, but …

“Jensen?”

Jensen sat in the chair, leaning back and straightening his long legs. He crossed his ankles, then crossed his arms over his chest. Jared just stared, wide-eyed, until Jensen sighed, uncrossing his limbs and leaning forward, speaking softly since they were in the library. 

“Let’s get something straight.”

Jared raised an eyebrow, and Jensen sighed again.

“I already told you, I don’t give a shit about this project. I could care less if we pass or fail.”

Jared swallowed and nodded, and Jensen went on.

“I … I don’t know, I guess I really thought about it last night. Just ‘cause I don’t give a fuck doesn’t mean you don’t.”

Jensen rubbed a hand over his hair, which was an odd shade of green today. 

“I don’t know, I don’t want to do it. But that … I don’t know.”  
“What exactly are you trying to say here?”

Jensen gave a nervous laugh. 

“Hell if I know.” 

He scratched his chin, then met Jared’s eyes. 

“I don’t want to be the reason you don’t get into your fancy-ass college.”

Jared blinked, and Jensen sat back in the chair again. 

“I’m not going to do much, but … I guess I could give you a hand on some of the easy shit.”

Jared laughed, and Jensen raised an eyebrow before Jared nodded. 

“Sorry, I just … that's awesome. Thank you.”  
“Yeah, whatever.”  
“If you want to come to my house, we can work on it there.”

Jensen nodded. 

“I don’t have to work today, so…”  
“Yeah, that’s fine. My mom will probably want you to stay for dinner, and we could get a lot of stuff done.”

Jensen nodded again, standing up from the table as the bell rang. He turned and walked away before Jared could say another word. Jared sat there for a moment longer, shaking his head, then jumping up and grabbing his books, hurrying to his next class at the opposite end of the hall. 

* * *

“So what, he’s just going to do the work now?”  
“Apparently.”  
“So he changed his mind … what, out of the goodness of his heart?”  
“I don’t know the details, Felicia. I’m just telling you what he told me.”  
“I find this suspicious.”

Jared rolled his eyes as he set another book in his locker. Felicia was leaning against the locker next to his, tapping her foot against the floor. 

“Jensen doesn’t do work. Everyone knows that.”  
“And he told me he wasn’t going to do anything on this either.”  
“Yesterday, he says that. Today, he says he’ll do it?”

Felicia shook her head, her recently close-cropped red hair fluffing around her head. 

“Nope. Something smells fishy here.”  
“What kind of hidden agenda could Jensen Ackles have against me?”

Felicia shrugged her shoulders. 

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s poised and ready to help you bounce right on out of that closet you’re tucked inside.”  
“I fucking hate you.”

Felicia laughed, punching Jared’s shoulder. 

“Come on, you know I’m joking. You’ve had a crush on him forever. It’s cool that you get to work together now.”

At the look Jared gave her, Felicia backtracked. 

“I mean, no. Life sucks. Gah.”

Jared snorted, pushing his locker closed. 

“It’s not that I’m upset about working with him. I know he’s not going to do shit, and that’s okay. But to have him come to me and say he’ll make an effort?”  
“My point exactly. What’s his endgame here?”

Jared sighed, shrugging his shoulders. 

“Maybe he’s decided to actually do some work now.”  
“Senior year?”  
“Better late than never?”

Jared rolled his eyes. 

“You flip-flop more than any person I know. First you're telling me you hate him and now you're telling me to give him a chance? Decide, Fe."

Felicia sighed. 

"You're generally open-minded, Jare. Maybe we'll discover that he's not as much of an asshole as we've thought. That, or you'll discover what it's like to do the lion's share of the work for now and how to skip out on the next group project."  
"Thanks, buddy. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Felicia laughed at Jared's sarcasm, throwing her arm around his waist as they walked down the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

Jared stayed bent over his notebook, making notes while Jensen sketched on a spare piece of paper Jared had handed him. After what felt like an eternity, Jared groaned and stretched. Jensen lifted his head in time to see Jared’s long arms reach high towards the ceiling before coming back to rest on the table. Jared gave him a grin. 

“Making a little bit of progress. You?”

Jensen lifted a shoulder. 

“Little bit.”

Jared shook his head, standing up and bending backwards, groaning softly when his back popped. 

“Thirsty?”  
“Sure. I’ll take a Jack on the rocks.”

Jared snorted. 

“I can guarantee you, as long as we’ve lived here, a bottle of Jack has never even crossed the threshold.”

Jensen grinned. 

“What, are you here all the time? You never have a slumber party with your little friends? You think your mom never has a little nip when you’re gone?”

Jared rolled his eyes. 

“She’s not exactly a hard liquor kind of girl.”  
“So you think.”  
“She has been known to have a glass of wine now and then.”  
“Whoa now.”

Jared let out a laugh. 

“Really, we’ve got Mountain Dew or Gatorade or water.”  
“I could do the Dew.”

Jared snorted again, shaking his head. He walked into the kitchen to see his mom standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, a smile on her face. Jared cocked an eyebrow and she shook her head. 

“Sounds like you two are having a good time.”  
“I’m working while he draws.”  
“Better than nothing?”

Jared pursed his lips and nodded. He reached into the fridge and pulled out two cans of Mountain Dew, popping the top on his and taking a long drink. He looked over to his mom and she smiled again. 

“Dinner will be ready in about 15 minutes.”

Jared nodded, carrying the drinks back into the dining room. He handed one to Jensen, taking another drink of his own. 

“Mom said dinner would be ready in just a couple minutes.”

Jensen nodded, looking at his can as he spoke. 

“You two always eat dinner together?”

Jared nodded. 

“Just about every night. Sometimes Felicia and I will go to the Mexican place in town, but most of the time I’m here with Mom. She’s a really good cook.”

Jensen nodded, lifting his eyes when a soft knock sounded on the wall. Samantha stood there, a warm smile on her face. 

“You boys want to go wash up? I’ll set the table.”

Jared nodded, motioning with his head. 

“Come on. I’ll show you where the bathroom is.”

Jensen nodded, swallowing hard as he stood up and followed Jared. 

* * *

Jared stood outside the school, hands in his pockets, backpack on his back, eyes scanning the parking lot for Jensen’s motorcycle. He tapped his foot on the ground, narrowing his eyes as different cars pulled up, some parking while others drove through the drop off line. Jensen and his motorcycle never showed. 

Jared sighed as the bell rang, turning on his heels and following the crowd through the double doors. He set his bag in his locker, pulling out the necessary books, going and sitting in his seat for English. 

He didn’t even have a chance to see Jensen until fourth period, when they had Ms. Ferris’ class together. The rest of the teachers must have gotten together and decided to pile on the work and pop quizzes, so Jared’s mind was busy until he walked in the classroom and saw Jensen hunched over his desk. An automatic smile came over his face and he walked to the front of the room. 

“Jensen, hey.”

Jared’s brows drew together when Jensen didn’t acknowledge him; the only movement he made was to keep his pencil tracing over the notebook page, drawing something Jared couldn’t quite make out. Undeterred, Jared went on talking. 

“My mom wouldn’t shut up about you last night. How polite you were and all that. She wants you to come back over tonight.”

Jensen still didn’t acknowledge him, and Jared bit his lip. 

“I mean, if you want to, you’re more than welcome to come over. We could do some more work on the project. If we keep working like this, we’ll probably be done by the end of the week.”

Jensen flipped the pencil over to erase a mark, then continued drawing. Jared sighed, reaching out to touch his shoulder. 

“Could you at least answer me?”

As soon as Jared’s hand touched Jensen’s shoulder, he was on his feet. Jared grabbed onto his hand, which Jensen had batted away as hard as he could, slamming it with his own hand. Jared sucked in a breath at the sight of the purple-black bruise surrounding Jensen’s right eye, his trademark sneer on his face. 

“Don’t fucking touch me, Padalecki. Fuck you.” 

Jared blinked, watching as Jensen gathered his notebook and pushed through the crowd of people walking into the room. Jared shook out his hand, going to his seat and sitting down, ignoring the looks on the rest of his classmates’ faces. Ms. Ferris walked into the room and went to her podium. 

“All right, guys. How are the projects coming along? Anybody got an update for us?”

Whispers began buzzing through the room, until one jock turned to Jared. 

“How about you, Padalecki? Give us an update on your project.”

The jock’s buddies snickered around him, and Jared rolled his eyes. 

“What’s wrong, Jare? You and Ackles not getting along?”  
“Man, shut up.”  
“Boys, that’s enough.”

Jared shot grateful eyes to his teacher, but the jock kept on. 

“Come on, man. We’re just dying to know whether he’s as stupid as he looks.”  
“I said that’s enough!”

Jared didn’t hear the rest of Ms. Ferris’ scolding, because he gathered his books in his hand and left the room. She called after him, but he didn’t listen, storming down the hall until he burst through the doors, squinting at the sunlight suddenly burning in his vision. 

He walked over and slammed his book on one of the tables, leaning over it and huffing out breaths until they were normal again. He went still, slowing lifting his head as he smelled cigarette smoke. 

He walked around the building, stopping when he saw Jensen leaned against it, one knee bent to prop his foot up on the building, glowing cigarette dangling from his fingers. 

“I know you’re just dying to ask, so do it.”

Jared put his hands in his pockets as he walked over to stand beside Jensen. He leaned against the building the way Jensen was, keeping both of his feet on the ground. After a moment, Jared did speak. 

“What happened?”

Jensen shrugged a shoulder, lifting the cigarette to his lips and inhaling. He blew out a stream of smoke, then spoke, his voice deeper than usual, the way it got when he was smoking. 

“My stepdad’s a real prick. Always has been. He’s hated my guts for as long as I can remember. He got pissed that I didn’t come home for dinner last night.”

Jared blinked. 

“Christ.”  
“Whatever. I’ve had worse.”  
“Jensen, I … I’m sorry.”

Jensen turned his head, giving Jared a look. 

“For what?”  
“The whole reason you didn’t go home was because of me.”  
“Nah. I could have called and told them. I just don’t give a shit. He doesn’t care about me unless he needs something to beat on. He needed a punching bag last night and I was late.”

Jensen finished off his cigarette, dropping it between them and stepping on it, crushing it under his toe. Jared swallowed, shrugging his shoulders. 

“Still. I’m sorry I got you in trouble.”

Jensen snorted. 

“I live in trouble. But don’t let this get to you. Don’t start playing the martyr just because you discovered that everyone doesn’t have your perfect life, Pollyanna.”

Jared went still at that, blinking once before turning to face Jensen. 

“Seriously?”

Jensen tapped another cigarette out of the beat-up pack he carried in the pocket of his leather jacket. He held the cigarette to his lips, stopping halfway when he saw the look on Jared’s face. 

“What?”  
“You think I have the perfect life?”

Jensen raised an eyebrow. 

“You think you don’t?”

Jared blinked again, shaking his head. 

“You don’t know a single thing about me.”  
“Really? You want to play that?”

Jared started to reply, but Jensen cut him off. 

“You got a mom who loves you more than life itself, you can see that every time you walk by her. The two of you eat dinner together  _ at the table  _ every night.”

Jensen shook his head. 

“You’re smart. You make good—no  _ excellent _ grades. You’re going to a good school when you leave this shithole town. You’ve got friends and admirers all over the school, and you’re going to make something out of yourself. What’s not perfect about that?”

Jared pushed off from the wall, moving to stand in front of Jensen. 

“How about a dad who, the  _ one  _ time I met him, asked me how much money it would take for me to keep my mouth shut so his kids—his  _ real  _ kids, the ones he loves—wouldn’t find out they have a trailer-trash brother? That’s what he called me, by the way. Trailer trash. I’ve never lived in a trailer in my life, but that didn’t matter to him. He used my mom and left her after he knocked her up, and I spent most of my life trying to be good enough for him.  _ That’s  _ why I’m so smart. I’ve worked my ass off to be smarter than that jackass, and no matter how many times I tell myself that I don’t need him or want anything to do with him, there’s a part of me that screams ‘everybody’s got a dad but you.’”

Jared shook his head. 

“You don’t know a damn thing about me, Ackles. Don’t even begin to think that you do.”

Jared turned and walked away from him, gathering his books from the table he’d placed them on before, walking into the parking lot, and then off the school's campus.


	5. Chapter 5

Jared stepped into the house well after dark, closing the door behind him and closing his eyes, waiting for what he knew was coming. He heard his mom sigh and he did the same.

“Oh, thank God. He just walked in the door. No, Jason, thank you.”

Samantha hung up the phone and walked over to Jared, taking him in her arms. He closed his eyes and put his face in her hair, just letting her hold him for the longest time. When he pulled back, she glared at him.

“Where have you been?”

Jared sighed again, looking at his feet, feeling so much smaller than his oversized frame. Samantha waited a moment for him to answer her, and when he didn’t, she spoke again.

“I don’t know whether to beat you or keep hugging you. You scared me, honey.”  
“I know. I’m sorry.”  
“You never do this. You have never not called me and told me where you were. Do you understand how worried I was?”

Jared nodded, still staring at his feet. After a moment, Samantha moved her hand under his chin and gently forced it up, making Jared look at her.

“Talk to me.”

Jared shook his head.

“I just … I’m sorry I worried you.”  
“That’s your job as my kid. But something is bothering you, and my job is to help you with junk like that. Talk to me, sweetheart.”

Jared blinked, waiting a moment, then letting out a long sigh.

“Jensen’s dad punched him in the face because he was over here last night.”  
“Excuse me?”   
“Well, his stepdad.”

Samantha turned and looked towards the dining room, and Jared sighed again.

“I don’t know. Jensen’s always so angry about everything, and when I tried to talk to him, he … I guess he hit a nerve with me. Told me I had the perfect life and I just … went off on him.”   
“About what?”

Jared shrugged his shoulders, and Samantha waited. Sure enough, a few moments later, Jared spoke again.

“My father.”

Samantha closed her eyes, letting out a sigh.

“Honey—“   
“No, I … I don’t care about him. We don’t need him. We never have. You’re the only parent I need. You are more than enough for me.”

Samantha stepped forward, wrapping Jared in a hug. He let out a breath, speaking softly.

“I think I just got caught up in my thoughts and stuff. I left the campus and just walked. When it got dark, I knew you’d be freaking out, so I just walked home.”

Samantha nodded, gently running her fingers through Jared’s hair.

“I think it’s safe to say you’re grounded, right?”

Jared smiled, nodding his head.

“Call me, honey. Any time about anything. That’s what I’m here for. I just want you to be safe. You’re the only Jared I’ve got.”

He smiled again, kissing her cheek as he moved back from her embrace. She laid a hand against his cheek, then cleared her throat.

“There’s someone in the dining room for you.”

Jared made a face.

“Is it Felicia? Is she going to kill me?”  
“Go see.”

Jared sighed, pushing his hands into his pockets as he trudged into the dining room. He took in a breath, walking through the doorway.

“Before you kill me, can I just …”

The words died in his throat when he saw bright green eyes staring back at him from under blue hair. Jared blinked, and Jensen stood up from where he’d been sitting, licking his lips before he spoke.

“I got … your mom was worried when you weren’t there for her to pick up. I didn’t … I didn’t want her to freak out alone.”  
“So you … waited here?”

Jensen nodded.

“Managed to get her to hold off on calling the cops and sending out a search party for you.”

Jared blinked again, and Jensen ran a hand over the back of his neck.

“It was my fault you took off, so I figured the least I could do was sit with her.”

Jared nodded, and Jensen walked around the table.

“I’ll just take off.”  
“Jensen.”

He lifted his eyes and Jared smiled.

“Thanks for taking care of her.”

Jensen shrugged, brushing Jared’s shoulder with his own as he walked past him. Jared stared straight ahead, tying to ignore the tingles shooting all the way down the right side of his body.

* * *

“So do you care anything about civics at all?”  
“That’s a big fat negative, good buddy.”

Jared snorted as he held a finger to the book that was open in front of him. Jensen was shading a section of … whatever he was drawing, while Jared made more notes on their project. He shook his head and pushed the book towards Jensen.

“I’m having a hard time writing this passage. Can you read it to me while I write it down?”

Jensen blinked wide eyes as Jared set down his pencil and shook out his hand. Jared nodded towards the book and Jensen licked his lips as he looked down.

“You can’t read and write at the same time?”   
“Ha ha. I can, I’m just having the worst time with this sentence. It’s something about European customs and my American brain does not compute.”

Jensen gave a nervous laugh, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. Jared picked up the pencil, pulling his notebook towards him again.

“All right. I’m ready when you are.”

Jensen nodded, clearing his throat. He laid a finger on the passage and moved the book a bit. Jared glanced at the page and nodded, and Jensen took a breath before he started to read aloud.

“The Eur—Europeans had a dif… difficult ti-time follow the Black Plaque.”

Jared furrowed his brows, looking up from the paper. Jensen was bent over the textbook, painstakingly sounding out the words he was reading. Jared stopped writing, listening to Jensen struggle.

“... drinking ate. When the Euro … Europeans—“  
“Hang on. What was that last part?”  
“Which part?”  
“About drinking.”

Jensen rolled his finger backwards over the page, lips moving as he read. He shook his head and Jared stood up, walking around the table and finding the passage, pointing to the sentence.

“This part.”  
“What about it?”  
“This word right here. It’s 'tea.'”  
“So?”   
“So, you read that it said ‘ate.’”

Jensen pushed the book away, standing up to face Jared.

“You making fun of me, Padalecki?”  
“What? No!”   
“This shit right here is why I don’t do projects or any of that bullshit. I’m out of here.”  
“Jensen, wait. Just stop!”

Jared laid a hand to Jensen’s chest and he stopped. His chest was rising and falling quickly, and Jared could feel the fast thump of his heart under Jared’s palm. Jared shook his head, speaking as calmly as he could.

“I’m not making fun of you. I promise.”

Jensen swallowed, teeth clenched together, bared slightly. Jared moved his hand from Jensen’s chest, holding both hands up.

“That’s why you won’t read out loud in class, isn’t it?”  
“It’s none of your business.”

Jared nodded.

“Could you … would you read it again for my mom?”  
“Why, so the two of you can have a good laugh?”  
“No. Jensen, no. She’s a teacher. An English teacher. She could help you.”  
“I know how to read.”  
“I know you do.”  
“I’m not stupid.”

Jared shook his head.

“I know you’re not. Would you … just let her listen?”

Jensen looked away, but gave a slight nod of his head. Jared went to the door and called for his mom, and she came to the doorway, one eyebrow raised. Jared licked his lips, then leaned in.

“I think Jensen is dyslexic.”

Samantha gave him a look and Jared shrugged his shoulders.

“Will you sit in here for a minute? I thought he was going to punch me a second ago. He thought I was trying to make fun of him, but I really think there’s something wrong.”

Samantha nodded, giving Jensen a warm smile as she walked into the room. Jared stayed near the doorway, gnawing on his thumbnail as Samantha spoke softly, getting Jensen to sit down and sitting beside him, pulling the textbook closer to them. She pointed out the passage and Jensen bent over the book, one finger sliding along the page as he slowly read the words.

When he was finished reading, Jensen leaned back in his chair. Samantha nodded as she slid the book from in front of him, closing it and laying her hands on it.

“Jensen, have you ever heard of dyslexia?”

He shook his head, staring at the table. Samantha took in a breath, speaking softly.

“Honey, I think you have it.”  
“I’m not stupid.”  
“Oh, sweetie, no. No, you are not stupid. Your brain just has a hard time differentiating between letters.”

Jensen shook his head and Jared stepped forward.

“Like … B’s And D’s. P and Q.”   
“Yes. And then sometimes your brain switches the letters around in one word and makes it into another word.”

Jensen shook his head again.

“It’s so hard for me to read. Everything looks all jumbled and I can’t make it right. I’ve tried to sit down and read a book but I can barely get past the title.”  
“That’s not your fault. Everybody’s brain doesn’t work the same way. Your brain just works differently than Jared’s.”  
“My stepdad always tells me how stupid I am. How am I supposed to make it in life if I can’t read?”   
“You can read, honey. You just have to work at it.”

Jensen nodded as he stared at the table.

“We can help you.”

Jensen and Samantha both looked over at Jared, who shrugged his shoulders.

“Mom can teach you some tips or something. Tutor you, maybe? And I can … well, I can help, too.”

Jensen blinked and Samantha had a soft smile on her face.

“We can. I’d be glad to.”

Jensen looked back down at the table and Samantha reached over to rub his shoulder. Jensen shook his head, speaking softly.

“I guess I just … he’s always calling me stupid. You hear something enough times you start to believe it. I stopped trying in school, and the teachers stopped trying to help me. They had other kids to help.”  
“Oh, honey.”

Jensen lifted his head and Samantha took him in her arms.

“You are far from stupid. I can’t promise that it’ll be easy, but I will do every possible thing in my power to help you.”

He wrapped his arms around her and she blinked away tears. Jared looked away from them, slowly backing into the kitchen and letting them have a moment alone.


	6. Chapter 6

“So if you’ll cut this out and glue it here …”  
“Wait, this one?”

Jared nodded at the piece of paper Jensen was pointing to, turning his head and taking in a breath when he realized how close they were. He could feel the warmth of Jensen’s body where it was almost pressed to his shoulder, and he watched Jensen’s candy apple green eyes glance to his mouth before meeting his eyes again. Jared swallowed, speaking softly.

“That’s the one.”

Jensen nodded, moving closer and pressing his lips to Jared’s. Jared closed his eyes, reaching over and taking hold of Jensen's hand, both of them pulling apart when Jensen began to laugh softly.

“What?”

Jensen moved his hand, putting his hand on Jared’s neck, rubbing his thumb over Jared’s jaw. He took in a breath, letting it out slowly.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a while.”

Jared blinked, speaking as softly as Jensen did.

“Really?”

Jensen nodded.

“I didn’t … I didn’t know if I should. I thought you might punch me or something.”

Jared smiled.

“No, I … I've been wanting to do it, too. Or wanting you to, whichever.”

Jensen chuckled under his breath.

“Good to know.”  
“I didn’t know you were gay.”

Jensen leaned back, letting out a breath.

“I don’t know if I am.”

Jared lifted an eyebrow and Jensen laughed.

“I mean …”

Jensen sighed.

“I can’t say I am. My stepdad hates ‘fags.’ But he hates me anyway, so… I don’t know.”

Jared nodded.

“Yeah, I freaked out when I told my mom.”  
“But I’m sure she was fine with it.”  
“Well, it took a minute.”

Jensen glanced sideways at him and Jared shrugged his shoulders.

“She cried at first. Kept saying it was because of how hard my life would be. I just had to keep telling her that it didn’t have to be hard. I mean, I knew it was probably going to be difficult at times. Everybody’s life is hard sometimes.”

Jensen nodded, a smile coming over his face.

“Yeah, that sounds a lot like what JD told me.”

Jared furrowed his brows.

“JD?”

Jensen smiled.

“Jeffrey Dean Morgan. He owns the tattoo parlor on the edge of town. That’s where I work. He’s …”

Jensen reached up, rubbing his ear with his fingers.

“He’s a good man. Closest thing I’ve got to a dad. He knows all about me and my shit and he stuck around. That’s actually what I’m doing once I graduate. Hell, _if_ I graduate.”  
“You’re going to graduate, Jen.”

Jensen lifted a shoulder before dropping it again.

“I mean, I _might_ have a slight chance now.”

Jared bumped Jensen’s shoulder with his own, and Jensen smiled.

“Well, _when_ I graduate, JD’s got a spot for me in his shop. He said I can apprentice with him until I’m ready to take the test or whatever it takes to become a tattoo artist myself.”  
“That’s great!”

Jensen rolled his eyes when Jared clapped him on the shoulder. After a moment, he smiled.

“Hey, maybe we can introduce Jeff to your mom. I bet they’d hit it off.”  
“Will you _stop it_ with my mom?”

Jensen laughed, reaching out and taking Jared’s hand again.

“Can we finish this shit so I can kiss you again?”

Jared felt his cheeks flush as he couldn’t help but smile.

“Talk about motivation…”

 


End file.
